Fastener guiding attachment for sewing machines



July 14, 1959 w. F. VAN AMBURG ET AL 2,894,469

FASTENER GUIDTNG ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet Ti, n... 4 3-1-1 J Filed sept. 27, 1955 ...1111.111111111,111,11'1 "rrlqrlllllllllpll'.m

July 14, 1959 w. F. VAN AMBURG ET AL v2,894,469

FASTENER GUIDING ATTACHMENT FORv SEWING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 27, 1955 lJuly 14, 1959 w. F. VAN AMBURG ETAL 2,894,469

FASTENER GUIDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Sept. 27, 1955 4 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FASTENER GUIDING ATTACHMENT Eon I' f SEWING MACHINES v YWillian F. van Ambrg, Maaiviu'ead Merrill n. vina cent, Conneautvlle, Pa., assignors to Talon; Inc., 'a corporation of Pennsylvania ,Applicaaomsepfember 21, 195s, 'serial No. 536,308y

' vs claims. (ci. 11a-136) While thedevice o f attachment of the present inventiorrfis rprir'narily adapted for use in sewing a waistband to a pair A of trousers or vskirt and securing and concealing yan end ofthe fastenerstringers in place inthe waistband between the yedge vof vthewaistband and the edge 'of the main rbody portion of the trousers, it may be advanltag'eously employed in stitching a slide fastener stringer to part of any type garment or article wherein the line of stitching is adapted tov extend at right angles to the fastener stringer and pass therethrough.

The conventional slidefastener consists generally of a pair" of stringertapes' having a series of 'spaced-apart interlocki'n'g metallic fastener elements arranged along their "r opposed edges. 'I n the manufactureof a pair of trousers, at t'he"time the waistband is adapted to be secured to the topof the trousers, Vthe slide fastener stringers have already been attached tothe leg portions and in order to 'attach'the' waistband, 'theslide'ffa'stener stringers necessarily havetopass through' the sewing machine transverse tothe line of `fee`d,that i s,`transvers e`to the line of stitching'formedfbythe sewing machine needle'. It hasbeen 'found that unless the metallic fastener elements are propfe'rly .guided as" they are moved to and pass the needle,

fthe needle loftentimes strikes one of the elements, and as "a're'sult, damage to the needle or needle breakage occurs which ofcourse .is objectionable. It islt'o fa device'or at- 'tachmentv for guiding the fastener elements'to'and past the needle of the sewing machine that .the present invention relates.

Accordingly,.it is the general object ofthe present in- `ventionfto provide an improved attachment for a sewing machine which is adapted to guide a slide fastener Stringer together'lwith other parts to be joined thereto tothe needle of 'the' sewing .machine so that the |line of stitching across the stringer will be assured to .pass in `a space between any two fastener elements of the Stringer.

It is another 'objectof thisinvention to provide a guide Eattachment fora sewing machine having means'for guid- "ing and folding material 4as .it passes into the machine toV ltheneedle and including means forV guiding a fastener Stringer so Ythat the line of stitching passes through vthe folded" r riat ejrial and is disposed in a space between any two'fastener elementsand across the Stringer.

It isY an object of the invention to provide an improved attachment for a sewing machinel by means of which a slide fastener stringer is properly guided-to the needle and joined to other parts regardless on which side of the part the fastener Stringer is'- located.

It is 'still another object of the invention to provide an ,improved attachment-for a sewing machine for guiding slide fastener stringers andl parts to be joined thereto to `the needlewhich .is strong and rugged and which can be Y, 2,894,469 Patented July 14, 1959 Pice i' Variousother objects and advantages-of this invention willbe more apparent in the course of the following specification, and will be particularly'pointed out inthe appended claims. v

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown for the purpose of illustration, an embodiment which our invention may assume in practice. I

In these drawings:

Fig. `1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a pair of trousers of the type to which thel present invention relates, L

Fig. 2: is a sectionalview taken'online 2- 2 ofFig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken online 3-3 lof Fig.` 1,

Fig'. 4 -is a perspective view of theimproved attachmentor device in accordance with the present'invention,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4, Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5, showing the upper nger-like member 'guiding the Stringer positioned on the `top side of the trouser material to the needle, l

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the lower nger-like memlber lguiding the Stringer positioned on the under side of the trouser material to the needle, and

Fig. '8 is an exploded perspective View showing the resilient guide plates and the finger-like members vcarried thereby.A f j For the purpose of illustration, thereis shown in Figs. l through 3 of the drawings, alv fragmentary view" of the vily closure of a pair of conventional trousers. VIn such trouser construction, it is customary to provide right y or ap 2 which is secured to the right leg piece and a left y or facing 3 which is part of the left yleg piece.

The left ily or facing 3 overlaps and completely conceals V'the' right ilyV or flap 2 when the trousers are closed. At

lalong the fastener elements for engaging There is provided a conventional type of slide l.fastener for closing the ily. Such a fastener consistsgenerally of a' pair of st'ringer tapes 5 and 6 having a series of spacedapart interlocking fastener elements 7 and 8, respectively, arranged along their opposed edges. There is also provided a conventional slider 9 for longitudinal movement and disengaging the same in a well known manner. 'y It is the customary practice to iirst sew one of the tape stringers 5 to the, outer side of the right fly 2 by means of ya line of stitching 10 and to attach the other Stringer tape "6 to the inner side of the left fly 3 by means of the stitchf in'g 12. After the stringer tapes have been sewn to their respective y pieces, the waistband 4 is thenV attached Vthereto by means of the stitching 13. A

It is the conventional practice tol bury the upper ends of the strmger tapes together with a series of fastener elements arranged on the ends .thereof in the waistband vso as to provide a neat appearance and also a longer sa'rilyr pass through the upper ends ofboth the Stringer tapes 5 and 6 at a spaced distance from the extreme upper ends of the tapes and in the vicinity of the fastener elements 7a and 8a arrangedalong the upper edges of the .stringers. Usually the fastener Aelements 7 and 8 are of metal and when the waistband `is attached to the ypieces in the vicinity of the-Stringer tapes, the needle ofthe sewing machine oftentimes strikes fthe `nl etallicfscoopsand consequently needle breakage occurs. Obviously, it would Ybe desirable if the needle would be .disposed in a space vbetweenany two fastener elements posit-ionedat 4the top of the fastener stringers so that the line of stitching would kpass through such space. Naturally, to assure that the needle would pass through such space, .it .would be necessary t o be assured that the fastener Stringer is .in the correct position .so that a space between any two particular fastener elements is positioned directly opposite the needle and it is to a deviceforguiding the Stringer tapes tothe needle to obtain such a result that the present invention relates, which device will be presently described.

I he .sewing machine attachment in accordance with the-.present invention as shown in Figs. .4 .through 8 of the drawings, consists preferably of'a bracket member y.2.0 .which isattachedto the bed of .a conventionaltype Sewing machine (not shown). There .is mounted on the bracket 2 0, a -plate,21` having a guide .22 arranged to vone side thereof. .Thisguide 22 is .adapted toreceive thewaistbandmaterial and toffold it upon itself .as is the conventional practice especially in the work trouser vfield. This .guide means terminates in a pail of lspacedvapart edge-.folding portions 23 and 24 to oneiside thereof which Aare arranged immediately forwardly of ,the needle. It is the purpose of these'edge folders ton-fold the edge of the material 4upon itself to.c onceal theraw edges so as to provide a more finished appearing garment.

There is provided another plate-like member :21a which is ,also attached to the lbracket 20. The inner edge of the plate-like member v21a extends between the edge folder portions23 .and 24 and there is carried thereby a pairoffspaced-apart, resilient, plate-like members 25 and 26 which are-arranged at an acute anglerelative to one ,anotherl and are held in spaced relation preferably by meansA of awedged-Shapedblock 27. It Will be seen `that the lower ends of both of these plate-like members25 and 26extend beyond .theinnerends ofthe v,edge folders23 and24, aS more clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6. On the inner side of each of the resilient platelike members 2 5 and 26, there is arranged finger-like members 28 and `29, respectively, which preferably are pointed at the extreme end thereof, as more clearly shown in Figs. l6 and 8 of the drawings. A1S.o,it follows that the extreme inner ends of these members extend; beyond the inner ends of the plate-like members 2 5 and 126. It will be seen that these ii-nger-like-members are arranged angularly relative `to the faceplate of the-sewing machine and to diy pieces .as .they pass through the machine. The extreme ends of these finger-like members 28 an d 29 .are adapted to be positioned directly, opposite and in alignment .with the needle N vof the sewing machine for a purpose hereinafter to be described. Thus, it willybeseen that there is provided va pairofspacedapart edge folders with a resilient finger-like member. ar-

rangedl in spaced-.apart relation directly opposite one anotheradjacent each edge folder.

InlllSing the attachment of vthe present invention, it willwbe yunderstood that .the trouser partsv namely, the right Avand left leg pieces together with the fastener stringers 5 and ,6,fwhich have been previously/attached to the respective sides, by meansofthe lines of stitchinggl and 12, respectively, .are fed into the machine .between theedge folders 23 and.2 4andftherespective nplate-like members 25 and '26 with the fastenerrstringers ,together with y.the 4fastener.elements carried thereby. .dis- A posed inaplane transversely to the line ofstitching adapted -to pass therethrough. In making up the trouser leg'portions, it will be seen that one of the stringers is positioned on one face of the material of the trousers on the right ily and that the other Stringer is positioned on the opposite face of the material on the left ily. Thus, it will :be seen that when the trouser leg portions together with the fastener stringers attached thereto, pass between the edge ,folders to theneedle, oneof the 'fastener stringers is positioned on ltheupperside of the material and theother Stringer is Apositioned on the T.lower side thereof. 'Ihis lis the reason it is necessary to provide two finger-like guide members instcadof one. "That is to say, the upper guide finger 28 guides the fastener Stringer y5 positioned on the .topside of thematerialand the other or lower finger-like ymember 29 guides the Stringer 6 on the lower side of the material.

As the material together with the fastener stringers attached thereto pass between the folders 23 and 24, the finger-like member 28 or 29 as the case may be, enters a space between any two fastener elements adjacent the top of the Stringer thereby tending to move the fastener stringer to the right or jto the left so as to align the space with the needle N. AAs the Stringer together with the material continues to pass into and through the machine, it will beseen that the resulting line of stitching isl substantially inalignment this particular space therebyfeliminating any danger of the stringersand the vmaterialasthey passtothe needle in order to compensate for variations in thickness offastener stringersand 'the material towhich they are attached.

As a result of our invention, it will `be seen that there is provided a simple and inexpensive attachment for guiding va slidefastener Stringer in its transverse movement into and throngh a sewing machine which ycan be quicklyand conveniently attached to the bed of a conventional sewing machine forwardly of theineedle thereof. It will be seen that our Vimproved attachment not only guides the fastener Stringer b ut also folds the material of the waistbandupon itself together with the edges thereof a-ndpresents the folded material-to the needle whereby the waistband is sewn to thebodyportion of the trousers in an eicient and effective manner. Itwill be noted that all ofthe guiding mechanism isstationary and free of movingparts thereby assuring that the linger- -like members vwhich arealways in alignment with the needle will guide the fastener stringer accurately relative thereto.

While we have shown` and describedan embodiment which our invention may assumein practice, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purpose of illustration anddescription, and that. other forms maybe devised within the scope ofour invention. ,as'de fined in the appended claims.

What we claim as our inventionis:

l. In anattachment for asewi'ng machine for guid- .ing Slide fastener` Stringers of the type having a. seriesfof spaced-apart interlocking fastenerelements arranged along one edge thereof and'disposed naplanetransversely to aline of stitching .by the sewing machine needleand movement of garment parts adapted tobefsewed into and `throughfthe machine which areadapted to be sewed tothe fastener Stringer, a pair of resilient spaced-apart plate-like members adapted to be arranged forwardly of-Said--needle, a finger-like member carried byleachvof said plate-like members in opposed relation on the Ainner Side thereof and extendingbeyond'the'inner edge thereof, said Vfinger-like .members .adapted to -be -positioned directly opposite and .in alignment with said needle Aand apart edge folders adapted tobe positioned forwardly ass-1,4@

of the needle directly next to said plate-like members and to either side thereof to form folds in the garment material as the garment parts and Stringer are fed at the end of said linger-like members in superimposed relation tothe needle whereby the garment parts and Stringer are sewn together, said Stringer adapted to pass between said folders and either one or the other of said Afinger-like members adapted to be disposed in a space between any two fastener elements as the Stringer is fed to the needle so that the needle is directly opposide said space whereby the line of stitching is assured to be located substantially in alignment with said space.

2. In an attachment for a sewing machine for guiding slide fastener stringers of the type having a series of spaced-apart interlocking fastener elements arranged along one edge thereof and disposed in a plane transversely to a line of Stitching by the sewing machine needle and movement of garment parts adapted to 4be sewed into and through the machine which are adapted to be sewed to the fastener Stringer, a pair of spaced-apart edge folders adapted to be positioned forwardly of the needle to form folds in the garment material as the garment parts are fed together with the Stringer to said needle, a fastener guiding device comprising a ringer-like member resiliently mounted between said edge folders which linger-like member is adapted to be positioned directly opposite and in alignment with said needle and extend to a point adjacent thereto, said edge folders adapted to cooperate with said finger-like member to position the garment parts and fastener Stringer in superimposed relation at a point adjacent the end of said finger-like member as the garment parts and Stringer are fed to the needle, said Stringer adapted to pass between said folders and said finger-like member adapted to be disposed in a space between any two of the fastener elements as the Stringer is fed to the needle so that the needle is directly opposite said space whereby the line of stitching is assured to be located substantially in alignment with said space.

3. In an attachment for a sewing machine for guiding slide fastener stringers of the type having a series of spaced-apart interlocking fastener elements arranged along one edge thereof and disposed in `a plane transversely to a line of stitching by the sewing machine needle and movement of garment parts adapted to be sewed into and through the machine which are adapted to be sewed to the fastener Stringer, a bracket member adapted to be attached to the machine, a pair of spaced-apart platelike members carried by Said bracket member and arranged forwardly of the needle, a finger-like member carried by each of said plate-like members in opposed relation on the inner side thereof and extending beyond the inner edge thereof, said finger-like members adapted to be positioned directly opposite and in alignment with said needle and extend to a point adjacent thereto, a pair of edge folders carried by said bracket member with one positioned above and the other below each of the plate-like members and said finger-like members whereby the same are positioned therebetween, said edge folders adapted to extend to a point adjacent the needle whereby said edge folders are adapted to position the garment parts and the fasteren Stringer in superimposed relation as Vthe garment parts and Stringer are fed to the needle adjacent the end of the finger-like members, said Stringer adapted to pass between said folders and either one or the other of said finger-like members adapted to be disposed in a space between any two fastener elements as the Stringer is fed to the needle so that the needle is directly opposite said space whereby the line of stitching is assured to be located substantially in alignment with said space.

4. In an attachment for a sewing machine for guiding Slide fastener stringers of the type having a Series of spaced-apart interlocking fastener elements arranged along one edge thereof and disposed in a plane transversely to a line of stitching by the sewing machine needle` and movement of garment parts adapted to be sewed into and through the machine which are adapted to be sewed to the fastener Stringer, a pair of spaced-apart edge folders adapted to be arranged forwardly of the needle of the machine to form folds in the garment material as the garment parts are fed together with the Stringer to the needle, a pair of spaced-apart linger-like members arranged between said edge folders which finger-like memmers are adapted to be positioned directly opposite one another and directly opposite and in alignment with said needle, said Stringer adapted to be fed to the needle between said linger-like members and said edge folders whereby the garment parts and Stringer are disposed in superimposed relation adjacent the end of said finger-like members as the garment parts and fastener Stringer are fed to the needle, said Stringer adapted to pass between said folders and either one or the other of said finger-like members adapted to be disposed in a space between any two fastener elements as the Stringer is fed to the needle so that the needle is directly opposite said space whereby the line of stitching is assured to be located substantially in alignment with said space.

5. In an attachment for a sewing machine for guiding slide fastener stringers of the type having a series of spaced-apart interlocking fastener elements arranged along one edge thereof and disposed in a plane transversely to a line of stitching by the sewing machine needle and movement of garment parts adapted -to be sewn into and through the machine which are adapted to be sewn to the fastener Stringer, an edge folder having an extending portion which is substantially U-shape in cross section so as to provide a pair of spaced-apart edge folding portions adapted to be positioned forwardly of the needle and extend to a point adjacent thereto, a pair of resilient spaced-apart plate-like members arranged forwardly of said needle between said folding portions, a finger-like member carried by each of said plate-like members in opposed relation on the inner side thereof and extending beyond the inner edge thereof, said finger-like members adapted to be positioned directly opposite and in alignment with said needle and extend to a point adjacent thereto, said fastener Stringer adapted to pass between said folding portions and either one or other of said finger-like members adapted to be disposed in a space -between any two fastener elements as the Stringer is fed to the needle so that the needle is directly opposite said Space whereby the line of stitching is assured to be located in alignment with Said Space.

6. In an attachment for a Sewing machine for guiding Slide fastener stringers of the type having a series of spaced-apart interlocking lfastener elements arranged along one edge thereof and disposed in a plane transversely to a line of stitching by the Sewing machine needle and movement of garment parts adapted to be sewn into and through the machine which are adapted to be sewn to the fastener Stringer, an edge folder having an extending portion which is Substantially U-Shape in cross section so as to provide a pair of spaced-apart edge folding portions adapted to be positioned forwardly of the needle and extend to a point adjacent thereto so as to form folds in the garment material as the garment parts are -fed into and through the edge folder together with the fastener Stringer to Said needle, a fastener guiding device comprising a pair of finger-like members resiliently mounted between the -folding portions of said edge folder which finger-like members are adapted to -be postioned directly opposite and in alignment with said needle and extend to a point adjacent thereto and disposed to either side of the fastener Stringer, said folding portions adapted to cooperate with said ringer-like members to position the garment parts and fastener Stringer in superimposed relation 7 8 at a peint adjacent the end of said linger-like member as References Cited in the lerof this patent thergatrxentparts and Stringer are fed to the needle, seid UNITED STATES PATENTS fastener Stringer adapted to pass between said folding Pl-tins adA said finger-like members adapted to be dis- 1907674 Roseman "n-'f" May -9 '1933 poised in espece betwee any two of the fastener elements 5 1161987 Thompson et al 'May lo '1,938 `s the stringeis fed to the needle so that the needle is 2149755 Ackerman Mar'7 1939 directly Qpposrite said space whereby the line of stitching 2547562 Breul API" 3 1951 

